Towel-dispensing cabinet.



E. E. MoGRACKE-N. TOWEL DZSPEHBISWG-ABINBT. APPLIOATIOI FILED iAn, 1918.

1,104,207, Patnted July 21, 1914 ll 1 Ill/[l ll E. E. MOGRACKEN. TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED KAY8, 1913.

c L F Z w ZZZ/i \lllll m n ll zfmas'esi' (42 75 ata time.

EDWARD E. MOGRAGKEN, OF'GREENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOWEL-DISPENSIN G CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1914.

Application filed May 8, 1913. Serial No. 766,404.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD E. MC- CRACKEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Mercer and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve- 'ment in Towel-Dispensing Cabinets, of

and may be dispensed one at a-.time, as .re- 15..

guired for use, and when used .may be conveniently transferred .to a receptacle for soiled towels without being detached from the cabinet.

In carrying out myinvention, I provide a closed ease containing a horizontally arranged rod on which a supply of towels is supported in rear of an o ening in the case throug' h which they may be withdrawn, one 'The rod is detachably connected atits rear end with thevbackof the case and at its'front endjs detachably connected with a vertically arrangedrod which extends to a rece. tacle for soiled towels in the lowerpart of t e case. The detachable connection between the frontend of the horizontally ar- Tranged towel-supporting rod and the vertica ly arranged rod is normally locked and these rods can only be separated by the use of a key. The front end of the cabinet is provided with a door normally closed and opened only by the use of akey held by some authorized person. The door has an opening in its upper portion through which the towels may be withdrawn one at a time, and this opening is closed by a small door or cover which may be easily opened by any one. The main door is also provided, in its lower portion, with an opening through which the vertically arranged rod extends in order to .guide the soiled towels totheir receptacle in the lower part of the cabinet. I preferably also provide within the cabinet an extra supply of clean towel which. may be supported on a horizontal rod similar .to that first mentioned and which may replace the first-mentioned rod when the supply of towels carried thereby is exhausted. In order to hold the towels within convenient reach of the users. I provide a follower which en ages the rear towel of the row and presses t e row of towels automatically totowels to theirreceptacle.

ward the opening in the front door. This follower is connected by cords or wires with weights which press the row of towels forwardly and hold the front towel close to the front opening in the front door. I may also provide a case or cabinet for containing a larger supply of towels to be used when the supply in the dispensing cabinet is entirely ex austed. This case or cabinet is provided with a door which may be locked and only opened by authorized persons and the towels may be supported on rods similar to the horizontal rods before mentioned and adapted toconnect with the vertically arranged rod which guides soiled towels to their receptacle in the case.

In the accompanying drawings:Figure 1 is a perspective view of a towel-dispensing cabinet embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 showsa vertical central section thereof. Figs. 3 to 6 are on.an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is adetail view, showing particularly the construction ,of the horizontally arranged towel-supporting rod and indicates how it is supported at-its rear end and how its front end is detachably connected with the vertically arranged rod for guiding soiled Fig. 4 is a detail view in section of the upper end of the vertically arranged guide-rod. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the front end of the horizontally arranged towel-supporting rod. Fig. 6 shows, on an enlarged scale, a section on the line66 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, showing particularly the horizontally arranged towel-supporting rod and the follower carried thereby which moves the row of towels toward the front of the cabinet. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a case or cabinet which may be employed for holding an extra supply of clean towels.

Fig. 9 is a detail view, showing how a row of clean towels may be supported within the cabinet on a rod adapted toenterthe toweldispensing cabinet and to connect with the vertically arranged guide-rod thereof, Fig. 10 is a detail view, in perspective, of a clip or catch which may be employed to hold the towels on the rod while in the cabinet, shown in Fig. 8. p

The towels A are containedwithin a case or cabinet B, which is tightly closed so as to protect the towels from dust and other contamination. This case or cabinet may be constructed of any suitable material, and it is provided with a front door B which is kept locked, 6 indicating the key-hole. The dooris rovided with an opening-B -to re ceive soiled towels which are deposited in such manner that it ma be re'adilly the lower portion B of the case." The towels A are preferably folded in the manner indicated and they are strung on a horizontally arranged rod C. For this purpose the towels may be provided at one end with holes or gromets, and this rod C has a bent rear end 6,. adapted to fit' in .a socket D attached tothe back wall ,of the case B in r detached therefrom. The rod is detac ably connected at its front end with a vertically arranged rod E; having a short horizontal portion 0 at its u per end with which the ,rod 0 en ages] he rod E has an upper ortion w ich is arranged in front of the oor B and at its lower end this portion connects with an inclined portion 0 which extends throu htheopening B and enters the cabinet. he lowerrear end of the rod may be connected with a -socket in the bottom of the cabinet. The detachable connection .between the. rodE and the'rod- C is indicated in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. As shown the rod 0, hasfa' forwardly projectingar n c 1 formed with a;. notchtc'. The

arm 0' enters a socket efin-the-rod Eand the noteheCen'gages a .latch G, normally pressed inward hyg-a springfg; -,The'arran ement is suchthatwhenJtheflai-m c-i-s'forcf into the "socket: e, .the latcherxgagesthe-arm andholds s the. rods cane E in ailock'ed condition. f, The

two rods mayyhoweveh b'e disengaged by means of a keyLK. The-srodjE'extends through an openin H inthe-u periport'ion of the cabinet whi ch'is closed, 'y a door I which door may be operatedibyjahandle a".

l is formed wit down'wardly extending arms I jwhichen- I raise the door' This door ma beiglazed ,as indicated, and an opening z' to *permit'the vrod E to pass through-it;

As shown a series of towelstislstribrigbh the rod C and in order to hold the towels' 46' close to the opening in the-front doorof the cabinet I provide a follower L. ,which is drawn forward by weights .M; ponnected with-the follower by cords or wires -m, passing over gpulleys m; Preferably. the follower constructed and arranged'fin'Ythef manner shown in Fig. 7, where' t is shown as'c prisin a cross iecel restin von'and 3 by the rod (l: and provi ed with s ip" gage the rearmost towel inthe series. By

this arran ement the towels will be pressed close toget er and moved toward the front openin' 'as fast as towels are withdrawnf from t e front of the series. To withdraw a towel it is onl' -necessary for the user to V catch hold of a towel, draw it forward through the opening and use it and then let it dro when itwill be guided by the guide-rod l into the receptacle for soiled towelsin the lower portion of I the cabinet. I preferably provide the cabinet with an additional rod 0, carrying another supply of towels. This rod may be supportedin a socket D in the manner indicated and when 'retiuired the rod may be lifted from its soo et and placedfinf the socket D aboveit and connected with the rod E ihthe manner before described. It is also possible to have additional rods with extra supplies .ot towels which may be removed by the attendant'or some authorized personwben'thedo'or B is opened and connected with therodE as' before explained.

I preferably,'howverifhave close at hand a casego'r;cabinetglljprovided with a door N controlled by loc'k and "key. and within this cabinet, I 'prov ide sockets otto receive rods "0 simila'rjto' those'before described.

, In order to hold the :tow'els" in place on each rod a clipfor 'catch'O mavf-be em loy ed.

This catch comprises anan'n o,f1per orated at-0' to fit onthefarmifiand alsoa part o,

the end ofiwhi'chis ada tedjito engage the notch c, Thefclip may; efreadil removed when desired to" connect t e" rod C with the vertiealrodfE;v Thecabinet may be arranged to contain a la ge number of rods with towels thereon; i

struction described mayt'be made cheaply and be serviceable in ma ny places. The towels are kept clean. No one "of them can be entir ly separated. i en theicabinetjb an unauthorized person." Aj'fiesh towel'is always within convenient res-eh. ofthe user, a errib i used me sed ow merelydfppped will be automatically guided tion for permitting the passa e'of soiled towels to the lower portion of t ecabinet, a

horizontally arranged towel-supporting rod; 1n the upper ortion of the ca connecte with the cabinet atlits'rear met detachabl where: it beconcealed."

A towel-dispensing ;cabinet the jcon en and a vertically arranged rod locked to but detachably connected with said horizontally arranged rod .inside the door of the cabinet and which extends through the upper opening in the cabinet door and pro- ]ects downwardly therefrom to andthrough the opening for soiled -towels and which guides soiled towels to the interior of the cabinet.--

2. A towel dispensing cabinet, comprising a closed casing having a front door provided with an 'openin in its upper portion for the withdrawal 0 clean towels and an opening in its lower portion to receive soiled net, a vertically arranged rod extending towels, a door for the opening in the upper tion thereof and detachable locked connecportion of the cabinet, a towel-supporting tions within the cabinet between said rods. 13 rod in the u per portion of the cabinet In testimony whereof, I have hereunto which is detacliably connected with the cabisubscribed n1 name.

E WARD E. MOCRACKENE through the opening in the upper portion Witnesses: of the cabinet and extending downwardly SAMUEL J. ORR, and through the opening in the lower por- FLORENCE BEAVER. 

